Safety appliance



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,624

. L. C. HUFF ET AL SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed July 5, 1925 Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES v y 1,703,624 PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN C. RUFF AND ABTHUBVG. BOGARDUS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO UNIVERSAL OIL PBODUCTSCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

Application filed July 5,

This invention relates vto improvementsin safety appliances, and refers more particularly to a safety relief valve or pressure valve arrangement whereby excess pressures upon apparatuses are automatically relieved.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide safety appliances particularly adaptedto be used on high pressure apparatuses to automatically function when an excess pressure is imposed, to relieve the pressure Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the upper portion of the expansion chamber showing the device in section. Fig. 3 is a detail taken,

along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fi 4 is a detail taken along the line 4-4 in ig. 2, and Fig.

5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Although the device is shown inconnection with an oil cracking system, it is understood to that it may be used in connection with any type of pressure system in which it is desirable to have a safety valve or relief arran ement for releasing excessive pressures in the system, and which cannot be otherwise exhausted, such safety valve arrangement being desirable to prevent hazardous and excessive strain upon the parts.

In Fig. 1 at 1 is shown .a heating coil mountedin a-furnace 2. This coil is connected by means of a transfer line 3 to an expansion chamber 4. The expansion chamber in turn has a vapor line connection 5 to a fractionating tower 6, the latter being connected by line 7 to a condensing coil 8 and by a line 9 to the charging line 10 by means of which the oil to be treated, is introduced to the system. The discharge end of the condenser coil is connected by a pipe 11 to a receiving tank .12, the latter being e uipped with a pressure relief valve 13, liqui drawoif valve 14, pressure gau e 15 and liquid level gauge 16. The oil on eing introduced to the system through the line 10 is heated to a conversion temperature, permitted to vaporize in the expansion chamber, from which SAFETY APPLIANCE.

1923. Serial No. 648,587.

the vapors pass off to the fractionating tower, thence to the condenser and are collected as liquid in the distillate receiver 12, the reflux condensate passing'back from the fractionatmg tower through the line 9 to be retreated 1n the heating coil, and. the unvaporized products from the ex ansion chamber being drawn off through eiter of the drawofi lines 17 controlled by suitable valves 18.

This brief explanation of the system will serve ,to explain the a plication of the device, but it is understood t at itmay be applied to any pressure system in order to relieve excessive pressures.

The device itself consists of a metal diaphragm 19 which has been tested.to rupture at a predetermined pressure. This diaphragm as shown in Fig. 2 is interposed between the flanges in a relief pipe 20. The diaphragm is preferably of metal either steel, aluminum, copper, iron or an other metallic substance, it being essentia only that its bursting strength is accurately determined. Below the dia hragm 19 and interposed in the same relief pipe is a second diaphragm 21 shown in Fig. 3, which has a small perforation 22. Theinterposition of this diaphragm below the upper safet diaphragm is to prevent the circulation o uncondensable vapors up and down the pipe and cause undue heating of the upper diaphragm, the heat effecting the bursting strength of the safety disk. The aperture in the center of the lower dia hrag'm 21 serves also to equalize the pressure etween the two diaphragms and the pressure upon the system.

Preferably the lower diaphragm should be of less thickness than the upper iaphragm so as to rupture simultaneously or just prior to the bursting of the upper diaphragm. 95 Above the relief pipe 20 is ositioned an 0 en ended funnel shaped mem er 26, which as positioned therein an upturned steam pipe 23. This steam pipe is preferably capped y a fusible plug 24 which will melt at a predetermined temperature and permit steam or water from the pipe 23 to spray into the vapors relieved from the system. The introduction of a steam orv water spray into the hydrocarbon vapors, or similar combustible vapor- 105 ous fluids, will serve to uench and extinguish the combustible materia s asthey are exhausted from the system. By use of the air inductor nozzle WhICh draws air upwardly through the lower portion of the funnel 26 and exhausts it with the va ors the va ors are cooled and reduced in temperature, consequently less liable to flash. The fusible plug on the steam or water pipe melting with the exhausting of the vapors, injects this quenching medium into the vapors and further reduces their temperature.

By the use of a safety diaphragm inserted in the manner explained, a simple, inexpensive safety valve arrangement is provided for relieving excessive pressures upon the system. It is reliable, as the diaphragms can be tested to bursting pressure, and they are ruptured within sufliciently close range as to not unduly strain the parts of the apparatus. Further,v the device cannot get out of order or become inoperative as does the ordinary safety valve of the spring or lever type. These diaphragms may be equipped with a tongue or lug shown at on the separate diaphragms, stamped with the pressure at which the safety rings'or disks will rupture.

We claim as our invention:

1. A safety device for an element of an oil cracking apparatus comprisin a relief pipe, a plate positioned in said re ief pipe, said plate having a predetermined rupturing strength, a funnel-shaped member positioned above said reliefpipe, a steam pipe terminating in said funnel-shaped member, and a fusible plug closing the end of said steam pipe. 1

2. A safety device for an element of an oil cracking apparatus comprising an outlet pipe, means in said outlet pipe adapted to be ruptured when the pressure in' said element exceeds a predetermined value, a funnelshaped member positioned about the discharge end of said outlet pipe, asteam line terminating in said funnel-shaped member, and a fusible plug positioned at the end of said steam line. i

LYMAN G. HUFF. ARTHUR G. BOGARDUS. 

